The reproductive capacity of Panstrongylus megistus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) males treated with precocenes

Abstract

Reproductive performance including mating, semen transfer, egg production and hatching rate were investigated in pairs of Panstrongylus megistus in wich the male was treated with either precocene II or ethoxyprecocene II, topically applied shortly after imaginal molt. Eighty percent of the males were not able to mate for a period as long as 40 days after treatment. Those males wich did mate (20%) produced small spermatophores; a few (10%) were unable to transfer spermatozoa to female, while the others (10%) exhibited reproductive performance similar to that of non-treated males. The cumulative effects of the precocene on the different stages of reproduction resulted in a drastic reduction of offspring production. The anti-allatal compound precocene seems to inhibit successful reproduction through a corpus allatum inactivation and subsequent lack of secretory activity of the male accessory glands

Disruptive Impact of Precocene I (juvenile hormone-antagonist) on the Adult Performance and Reproductive Potential of the Egyptian Cotton Leafworm Spodoptera littoralis Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

“…Apart from precocenes, application of the anti-JH compound H17 reduced the fecundity of L. decemlineata (Lehmann et al, 2015). On the other hand, the present findings were inconsistent with those reported results of Precocene failure to affect the fecundity of some insects, such as the bug Panstrongylus megistus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) of which males were treated with PII and ethoxyprecocene (synthesized PII analogue) but the fecundity did not differ statistically from that of the control groups (Cavalcante and Regis, 1992).…”

Physiological Activities of Anti-Juvenile Hormone Agents Against Insects and Their Role For Devising Fourth Generation Insecticides: A Comprehensive Review

“…They recorded complete sterility of adult female moths after treatment of 5 th instar larvae with different doses but complete sterility after treatment of 6 th instar larvae only with only 150 and 30 µg/larva. In contrast, precocenrs failed to affect the egg fertility of a few number of insects, such as P. megistus in which no effect was observed on the egg hatching after topical application of PII or ethoxyprecocene II onto males (Cavalcante and Regis, 1992). Apart from precocenes, the anti-JH compound, polyacetylenic sulfoxide, was reported to produce sterile adults in O. fasciatus (Bowers and Aregullin, 1987).…”

“…The fecundity of adult females was dramatically reduced. On the contrary, precocenes failed to affect the female fecundity of some insects, such as the blood-sucking bug Panstrongylus megistus after treatment of males with PII or ethoxyprecocene II (Cavalcante and Regis, 1992).…”